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Title: | Transcutaneous calf-muscle electro-stimulation : a prospective treatment for diabetic claudicants? |
Authors: | Ellul, Christian Gatt, Alfred |
Keywords: | Musculoskeletal system Cardiovascular system -- Diseases Non-insulin-dependent diabetes Non-insulin-dependent diabetes -- Complications |
Issue Date: | 2016 |
Publisher: | SAGE Publications Ltd |
Citation: | Ellul, C., & Gatt, A. (2016). Transcutaneous calf-muscle electro-stimulation: a prospective treatment for diabetic claudicants?. Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research, 13(6), 442-444. |
Abstract: | Background: First-line therapy for claudicants with diabetes include supervised exercise programmes to improve walking distance. However, exercise comes with a number of barriers and may be contraindicated in certain conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether calf-muscle electro-stimulation improves claudication distance. Method: A prospective, one-group, pretest-posttest study design was employed on 40 participants living with type 2 diabetes mellitus, peripheral artery disease (ankle-brachial pressure index < 0.90) and calf-muscle claudication. Calf-muscle electro-stimulation of varying frequencies (1-250 Hz) was applied on both ischaemic limbs (N = 80) for 1 h per day for 12 consecutive weeks. The absolute claudication distance was measured at baseline and following the intervention. Results: The cohort (n = 40; 30 males; mean age = 71 years; mean ankle-brachial pressure index = 0.70) registered a mean baseline absolute claudication distance of 333.71 m (standard deviation = 208). Following 91.68 days (standard deviation = 6.23) of electrical stimulation, a significant mean increase of 137 m (standard deviation = 136) in the absolute claudication distance was registered (p = 0.000, Wilcoxon signed rank test). Conclusion: Electrical stimulation of varying low to high frequencies on ischaemic calf muscles significantly increased the maximal walking capacity in claudicants with type 2 diabetes. This therapeutic approach may be considered in patients with impaired exercise tolerance or as an adjunct treatment modality. |
URI: | https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/56522 |
Appears in Collections: | Scholarly Works - FacHScPod |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Transcutaneous_calf_muscle.pdf | 54.79 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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